Visiting London: Essential Things to Know Before You Go
Welcome to London
Thank you for booking a London Photography Walking Tour with me. I’ve put together some helpful information for your visit to London.
I Know London can be overwhelming with so many things to do, so hopefully this information can help you create an itinerary for your visit that works for you.
If you have any additional questions please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Things To Do in London
My awesome wife, Denise runs a YouTube channel and you may find some useful information she has put together on the Things To Do when visiting London.
Photography Museums/Galleries to Visit
As a fellow photographer you may enjoy visiting some of my favorite photography museums/gallery’s. These are also great stops if the weather gets a little ugly when you are visiting:
Iconic Images Gallery - Piccadilly
I love this location, because it’s a small gallery and they have some truly iconic images in it. Unless you are a photographer you are unlikely to visit it, so there are no queues, no booking in advance, etc.. A great 15 minute stop if you are in the area.
This is one of my favorite museums in London; however, the best photographs for me are located in the cafe, so grab a coffee and check out the amazing photos.
A great tip when you are visiting is to look at the paintings and see how the artists are using the light for their portraits.
It’s free, but make sure you reserve a time to visit in advance.
I love the National Gallery because it’s so easy to get to and has a fabulous collection of paintings. It doesn’t have any photographs but I love to use the paintings to get ideas on how to photograph subjects. My favorite paining is probably “The Execution of Lady Grey” (a little morbid) but it has works from artists such as Picasso, and Monet.
I would combine this with a trip to the National Portrait Gallery as they are literally located back to back from each other.
It’s free, but make sure you reserve a time to visit in advance.
This is probably the best museum for photography in London.
If you don’t want to visit an exhibition check out the bookstore and the coffee shop.
I saw one of my favorite photography exhibits here - Lee Miller - so I would definitely keep an eye out for exhibitions when you are visiting.
Free, but if you are visiting an exhibition you may need to pay, and as always you may want to book your visit time in advance.
Free, but if you are visiting an exhibition you may need to pay, and as always you may want to book your visit time in advance.
One of the best things about the Tate Modern is the view of the Millennium Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Okay, I think that’s enough photography museums! While we are talking museums though make sure you check out the British Museum and if you have kids you have to visit the National History Museum and the Science museum.
A quick tip on staying connected abroad:
Whenever we travel nowadays we always choose an esim provider. It took our phone bills down massively helping us to avoid massive roaming charges. We haven’t had a bad experience with any of the ones we have chosen, but nowadays we regularly use Saily. You just pick your destination, install the data plan on your phone, and you have instant internet the second you arrive. 👉 Check out Saily’s UK data plans here
When we were visiting London from San Francisco (where we used to live) our phone bills went down from several hundred dollars to less than $50, so it’s definitely worth checking out if you are going to be visiting for longer then a few days.
Full disclosure: That’s an affiliate link, which means I earn a small commission if you sign up (at no extra cost to you!). I only partner with and recommend products I actually use and trust on my own travels.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
For its size London is a relatively safe city but does have a high rate of opportunistic property theft. In recent years, the most prevalent street crime in London has been distraction thefts and phone/asset snatching by thieves operating on e-bikes, mopeds, or scooters.
Make sure you keep your phone and camera strapped securely around your neck or wrist. Also try not to show off any fancy camera gear or bring attention to it if possible.
Be aware of your surroundings and don’t stand close to the road edge where bikes/mopeds can drive past and grab your gear.
-
Almost every popular site, restaurant, and even free museum now requires a timed entry ticket booked well in advance online.
-
The London Underground (the "Tube") is the fastest way to get around. You simply tap in and out at the station barriers using your contactless payment method. Make sure to use the exact same card or phone for both entry and exit so the system can calculate the correct fare and apply daily spending caps.
If you are using the tube escalators make sure to stand on the right side. The left side is strictly reserved for people who are walking or sprinting up the stairs. Blocking the left side will quickly earn you a polite but firm reprimand.
-
London is heavily cashless. You will rarely, if ever, need physical British pounds. With that said I always find it beneficial to bring just a bit of cash for those random times when you do need a little bit of cash.
You Probably Want Some Food Recommendations Don’t You
This is not an extensive list but some pointers on what you can eat and what you should avoid.
Mercato Metropolitano - Mayfair
One of my favorite places to eat in the city! There is a selection of different cuisines so if you having differing tastes then this is the place to visit! Definitely worth checking out even if you don’t eat there, you won’t be disappointed.
Eating in Chinatown
Our favorite Chinatown restaurant is Tao Tao Ju. It might not be the most popular restaurant in Chinatown, but it has a lot of seating, the food is really good and the portion sizes are good too.
If you want to just grab something to eat on the run, I’d highly recommend Jixiang Baoxi. And if you want to grab boba, I know it’s a chain, but my favorite is Happy Lemon.
Quick note, that you should probably avoid eating in Leicester Square because that is mostly a big tourist trap.
Pubs
A short walk from St. Paul’s is the Sugar Loaf Pub. You’re more likely to find people working in the city in here as opposed to tourists. My recommendation on what to eat here: a pie!
Pudding (Deserts)
If you are in Camden or Old Spitalfields Market I’d recommend visiting Humble Crumble, it is a chain, but apple crumble or apple and rhubarb crumble is a staple of British deserts, and my personal favorite. They also have unlimited custard, so what’s not to love!
Eating on a Budget
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and other supermarkets (grocery chains) do a meal deal, where you get a sandwich, a snack and a drink for about £5. This is great if you want to eat something on the go, and also a great option for a picnic in one of the beautiful parks in London.
Fish & Chips
I’m still hunting for a great Fish & Chip restaurant. I find most of the ones I’ve visited are very touristy and generally not that great. So if you find a good one let me know…
My top tip though when eating in London, is purely to avoid the big chains and dive into food from different cultures - you won’t be disappointed.
Popular Day/Weekend Trips From London
If you are in London for an extended period of time you might enjoy getting out of the city and seeing some of the beautiful areas that England has to offer.
Getting Your Coffee Fix in Interesting Places
If you are anything like me when I’m traveling I need my caffeine fix even more than when I’m at home. Like most major cities nowadays there is a coffee shop on most street corners. Aside from Starbucks, the other major chain in central London is Pret A Manger (Pret to locals), which has good coffee and food. However, if you are visiting London you probably want to do something a little more interesting, so these are some unique places to try.
Drink Your Coffee in a Church
Wren Coffee, named after Sir Christopher Wren who was the architect of this church and also St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Host Cafe
Drink your coffee in a crypt
St. Martin’s Church, close to Trafalgar Square. This also has a lot of food options.
St. Pauls Crypt Cafe
Coffee in a Toilet
Attendant, Fitzrovia. This coffee shop is set within a restored Victorian public convenience.
Free London Skyline Views
-
Horizon 22 is the highest free viewing platform in Europe. It has a 360 degree glass view of the entire city, and lets you look down on the Shard.
https://horizon22.co.uk/book -
This place gets sold out super quickly so make sure you book well in advance. Last time we came here we decided to relax with a couple of drinks and just watch the world go by. If you can’t book tickets, you can still go up if you book a restaurant reservation.
-
The largest free rooftop garden in London.
https://fen-court.com -
The Tate Modern has a great lookout, so if you are visiting all ready, definitely check it out.
“There are two things that are absolutely certain about London: the weather will surprise you, and the history will humble you.”
—Unknown
Book Your Tickets In Advance For The Big Attractions
Full disclosure: That’s an affiliate link, which means I earn a small commission if you sign up (at no extra cost to you!). I only partner with and recommend products I actually use and trust on my own travels.